Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Health update

Hmmm, I'm approaching the 7 month mark now with the change in diet to regain my health.  Still following the strict menu as closely as possible.  Again the things I do eat:  meat, vegetables (minus corn and potatoes), legumes, and nuts/seeds.  The things I avoid almost completely are: all dairy products and grains.  I still wrestle with some body aches, but not the gripping pain of 7  months ago.  Yes, I have some arthritis and that kicks my butt now and then, but if I focus on eating more leafy greens like steamed spinach, swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens............. then I can usually overcome that.  It also is in my best interest to drink at least 48 oz. of water every day.  I'm supposed to get 96oz. but sometimes I feel too water- logged. 
I would like to think that everyone around me would and should eat this way because I know how much better I'm feeling, but I know the grip of addiction and the tendency to be overcome by our own human weaknesses.  All I can say is that if you aren't feeling well and think that popping medication is the answer, consider changing your diet even for only 2 weeks and just see how you feel. 
It took me 3 months to feel 1/2 of what I felt as a healthy person.  It's over 6 months now and my stamina and strength are unbelievable.  I didn't have to get out and work slowly at walking several miles either.  I took a trip to the Porcupine Mts. in late September with the idea that I might walk some of the trails a little way.  But to my surprise I walked a great distance for someone that hadn't done much of anything for a long time.  The first afternoon I walked a total of 5 miles over some rough terrain. The following day I got up and did the same. All of this without pain and weakness, without being winded.  I hadn't even thought about what I was able to accomplish until the first night and realized 'Holy ----!", I had been hiking for several hours and I'm still standing.  And then to wake up the next morning and get right back out there and do it again was just incredible. 
I am living proof that you are what you eat. From the beginning I was skeptical, but I was also skeptical of the doctors wanting to throw any and every drug at me that seemed appropriate for what they thought was really wrong with me. ( Fibromyalgia, arthritis, hypothyroidism)  I am so amazed that this, FOOD,  is all it takes.
I had another ultrasound on my thyroid to see the progression of the nodule and was ecstatic to find out that it has decreased in size.  My endocrine specialist couldn't say why that would be since I wasn't taking the prescribed medication.  I just told her that, I've changed my diet and my nutritionist said this would happen. Of course she had no reply to my remedy.   By this time next year  the nodule should be nearly gone. 
I've been asked will I start eating the things that I've excluded for the past 7 months and I just say," Why would I,  I'd have to be a fool?!"  Of course it hasn't been an easy choice but with each passing month I've got a better grip on eating to live.  I look better, I feel better, I live better.